INNOVATIVE SILVO PASTURE SYSTEM

The purpose of this award is for the grantee to establish a silvopasture that will create a fertility-building, sustainable pasture that will nuture the land back to health while providing marketable products. Silvopasture plantations are common in the southeastern US as well as northern climes of Canada. Traditionally, these systems have been integrated into forest plantations being grown for timber or ornamental crops. To adapt the concept to Rhode Island, the project will explore the use of fruit trees which will better suited the small acreage farms and will provide specialty market crops. The goal is to demonstrate the sustainability of multi-purpose pastures that produce many crops at different rates. The resulting silvopasture will provide soil stability, nutrient recycling, and improved habitat.